3.3 Recreating the Same Position after a Pass (2)

Let us start be considering whether to allow recreation of a former
position immediately after a pass. In Dias. 3-4-1 to 3-4-4, after White
64 to 72, Black has a clever move at 73. White plays 74, Black plays
75, and White plays 76, taking two stones. Black recaptures at 77 and
White passes. Now if Black is allowed to recreate a former position
immediately after a pass he will play 79 in Dia. 3-4-5, creating the
same position as in Dia. 3-4-3, and White will be unable to recapture
because that would recreate Dia. 3-4-4. The white group in the bottom
left therefore dies what will probably be regarded as an unnatural
death.

Dia. 3-4-1prisoners: white 2

Dia. 3-4-268 connects at 65

Dia. 3-4-3

Dia. 3-4-4

Dia. 3-4-578 passes

What if both players are permitted to recreate one former position after
a pass? Then White is allowed to repeat the same position by recapturing
Black 77 and 79 with 80 in Dia. 3-4-5, and now it is the black stones in
the bottom left that get captured.

As a related problem, suppose Black plays 'c' in Dia. 3-4-2, and the
game continues as in Dia. 3-4-6. After White 78 passes, Black is losing.
If both sides are allowed to recreate one former position after a pass,
Black will play 79 at 75, White will capture, and so on into infinite
cyclic repetition. In each cycle Black loses two prisoners and White
loses one, but under area rules this does not change the score because
prisoners are not counted, so the cycle will continue forever.